


The Ring

by Grushenka



Category: Baldur's Gate
Genre: Awkward Romance, F/M, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 01:15:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17777789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grushenka/pseuds/Grushenka
Summary: A gift and nothing more is what he says, but is that what he truly means? A one-shot inspired by the Keldorn romance mod.





	The Ring

This is a one-shot inspired by a playthrough of the Keldorn romance mod by berelinde. 

Soliania (Soli) is a neutral good half-elf fighter/cleric follower of Lliira, the goddess of joy. She became a Lliiran after meeting a group of traveling joydancers in Candlekeep. This scene takes place during ToB. 

The story doesn’t require any knowledge of the mod, it should be self-explanatory. A shameless excuse for fluff and smut, of course. 

 

\------------------

Soliania sat at a small table in the corner of the tavern. Heat radiated from the fireplace beside her, she closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the feeling of warmth. It was freezing outside, in Saradush, the winter had come and snow fell along with the rhythmic volleys of siege weapons. 

Jaheira had already retired with Imoen, and Minsc and Valygar as well. They hesitated, they didn’t want to leave her alone with her thoughts and she couldn’t blame them. Irenicus was dead, but she couldn’t summon any amount of happiness over his failure. She had reclaimed her soul and yet she couldn’t shake the memories of the Slayer, of what she could become. 

But she wasn’t alone. Her fingertips slipped to the small gold band wrapped around her finger, the gift from _him_. He sat at the bar, as alone as she was, his hand buried in his silver-tinged hair. A fleeting thought of what it would be like to wrap her fingers in his hair flashed in her mind, she quickly brushed it away. He had his back to her, she took the opportunity to let her eyes roam over his armor-clad body. Plate armor was a second skin to him, how many years had he spent in service to the Order? 20, perhaps more? He scarcely seemed to notice if he had it on or not. 

He was a father figure to her at first, a comforting presence in long months of darkness, doubt, and fear. Somewhere in their journey he became something more to her, their talks together grew longer, and unspoken familiarity and comfort blossomed. She helped him control his anger when confronted with his wife’s infidelity, she was there to listen to his anger and despair after his wife left him and took their daughters with her. 

_Keldorn…_ He had nothing left to his name, he had given it all to Maria and his daughters. A man so bound by duty that he had sacrificed everything for the Order, even his own family. Soliania found herself blaming Maria for not understanding the demands the Order placed on their members, but there was no point in resentment. She had helped pick up the pieces of Keldorn’s shattered heart, she had helped carry the weight of the blame he placed on his own shoulders. As she would for any _friend_ , she told herself, but that was a half-truth. 

Her fingers slipped across the smooth metal of the golden band, she wore it on her index finger. What did he mean by giving her such a gift? He said it was nothing more than a memento to a companion, a loving symbol of their friendship, but was that truly all she was to him? Could she be so wrong about the lingering gazes, the smiles they shared in hidden moments, the softness in his eyes? Was she imagining the way his hands lingered on her body when he helped her adjust her pack, the flush of crimson that crept into his cheeks when he caught himself? It didn’t seem possible.

Then there was the dance they had shared, that one evening in the Five Flagons. He had been drinking and so had she, it wasn’t entirely unusual for her but for him it was a rare moment of light-hearted fun. She caught a glimpse of a different side of him, a joyfulness that warmed her heart and quickened her pulse. He wasn’t just Keldorn Firecam the paladin, faithful servant of Torm, he was a _man_. A long-armed, broad-shouldered man whose heavy, calloused hands had rested on her hips as they wove through the crowd, their bodies moving together in perfect time. His steely blue eyes had shone with a light she had never seen before, the tanned skin around them wrinkled as he smiled down at her. 

Each intimate moment they would share together was followed by a period of distance. He had given her the ring in Suldanesslar, and now he avoided her. It was a pattern she had grown used to, but she couldn’t deny that it hurt her and made her wonder if this _thing_ between them was only a figment of her imagination. She desperately wanted to be near him, but he wouldn’t let her too close, was it because he didn’t want her? 

Or was it because, perhaps, he did? 

Keldorn was kind, gentle, and yet a formidable warrior. He was bound by his vows to uphold honor and the law, but he had a compassionate heart. He was there for her in her darkest hour, he held her hand and told her of hope when all she could see was despair. She wanted to give him more, she wanted to give him everything she had. To lift the sadness haunting him, if only for a moment. 

Her eyes had drifted to the fireplace, the dancing flames moving together and apart, together and apart. The logs slowly consumed by their hunger...

“Soliania?” a soft, deep voice questioned. She jumped a little in her seat, surprised by the sudden interruption. 

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Keldorn apologized, holding his hands before him in a placating gesture. She could see a hint of a glimmer in his eyes, the glazed shine of a man who had been drinking. He wasn’t drunk, but certainly _relaxed_. “I just…” he stammered, his cheeks tinged with a hint of pink, “I thought perhaps you would enjoy some company, I shouldn’t have presumed…”

“No, no,” Soliania interrupted, shaking her head and waving her hand at the seat across from her. “Please, I would very much like company.” 

Keldorn paused before lowering himself into the wooden chair. His dark blue eyes burned with an unspoken emotion as she met his gaze, but he broke it and glanced down at his hands as he rested them on the table. 

“I’ve missed you,” Soliania murmured, her voice barely audible over the din of the tavern. 

Keldorn’s eyes jerked back up to look at her, his eyebrows raised. “Soliania, you musn’t say such things, I am not deserving of your...attentions.” His voice fell with his eyes and he shifted in his seat, his plate armor seemed almost comically large compared to the chair he sat on. 

“You know I don’t believe that, why do you insist on repeating it,” Soliania countered, her pale eyebrows furrowed over her golden eyes. 

“I will repeat it until you do believe it, my friend.” 

Soliania frowned and fidgeted with the golden ring on her finger. “You give me this ring, a token of _friendship_ when you know I want more than that…”

Keldorn drew in a sharp breath and steeled his jaw. “Soliania, please, I...I can’t…” His eyes were fixed on hers again, the muscles of his neck flexed as his whole body tensed. 

“No, Keldorn, you _won’t_ ,” she replied, her voice small. 

“I am old enough to be your _father_ , this is obscene, that you would even speak of it!” Keldorn replied, forcefully. He always did this, anytime she would mention their relationship, he would shut down and go back to the old Keldorn. The fatherly Keldorn, the tired, aging man, the paladin on the cusp of retirement. Everything that he wasn’t, really, no man on death’s door could fight off swarms of foes with a simple swing of an enormous blade. He was so aware of his age and reminded her of it endlessly, she hated it. 

“But you aren’t my father, you are Keldorn Firecam, a _man_ sitting with a _woman_ , not a child!” Soliania snapped. She regretted her harsh tone immediately, it was so unlike her to lose her temper. Lately, however, she had found herself increasingly frustrated with Keldorn’s reticence. If he didn’t want her, then he needed to tell her, clearly. Then she would leave it be. 

“Your life is just beginning, Soliania, you deserve a younger man, someone who can match your vibrancy, the spark of joy within you.” Keldorn looked down at his hands as he reached them across the table to fold over her own. A pang of regret struck him when he caught sight of the ring on her finger, the one he had given to her in a moment of weakness. 

“Is there no value to experience, Keldorn? To an honorable man who has lived his life well? Does he deserve nothing at all?” She felt the heat of her own cheeks blushing as Keldorn’s rough palms moved over the soft skin of the back of her hands. His long fingers crept up her wrists and brushed across her skin, leaving goosebumps in their wake. He couldn’t help but notice her reaction to his touch, and he could scarce ignore the pounding of his heart beneath his chestplate. 

“Your words affect me greatly, Soliania, your kindness is matched only by your beauty,” he almost whispered. His voice was soft, but there was an unmistakable desire in the suddenly husky tone. 

“Soli, Keldorn, please, call me Soli,” she replied, turning her hands over beneath his so they could meet, palm to palm. 

“Soli…” he murmured, his fingers mindlessly tracing across her soft palms. He had never noticed how small her hands were, compared to his, how perfectly they fit together. His thoughts drifted to memories of his arms wrapped around her supple waist, the smell of her hair as he leaned his head down to speak into her ear. How perfectly their bodies, too, fit together as they danced into the late evening hours. 

He wanted her, more than he had ever wanted anyone before. But his conscience would not allow him to push himself upon her, to take advantage of her youth and inexperience and satiate his own ravenous desire with a girl who could be his daughter.

When he glanced back up at her his heart skipped a beat. Her amber eyes were fixed on him, her rosy pink lips turned up in a smirk that he knew all too well. The look she got whenever she was feeling mischievous, those times she would bend over to pick something up and linger just a little too long, or ask for him to retie the clasp of her cloak when he knew well she could do it herself. Her smooth, pale golden skin radiated in the glow of the firelight, her snowy white hair was swept back and spilled around her tunic-covered shoulders. She was breathtakingly beautiful, he marveled at the gentle point of her ears and the sharpness of her high cheekbones. He longed to feel her breath against his skin, to hear his name slip from between her perfect lips. His self-control was buckling under the weight of his longing. 

She held his stare and her fingers slipped up beneath the armor encircling his forearms, her touch like little bolts of lightning crackling across his skin. The last vestige of resistance crumbled, he could no longer hold back his desire. 

“Come to my bed, Soli, if you would have me.” His voice was thick, his heart racing. “Let me please you, as much-- as much as I am able.”

Soliania’s own heart jumped in her chest, she had dreamed of this moment for so long and now it was here. He was here, before her, asking him to come with him to his bed. She felt herself begin to tremble, only slightly, whether it was with desire or nerves she couldn’t tell. 

She couldn’t speak, but she nodded. His eyes widened slightly, shocked that she would accept his request. That she could want him, as he wanted her, it seemed impossible. 

He rose from his chair and she moved with him, their hands still clasped together. Keldorn gave a nervous glance around the tavern, worried that any of the other patrons had noticed their conversation, but Soliania’s eyes were fixed on him. She didn’t care who saw them together, she would never be ashamed of the love they had for one another. _Love… _Is that what he felt for her? Or was it only desire? A flash of insecurity, quelled by the way his arm wrapped around her waist, gently guiding her up the wooden staircase. She looked up at him and he glanced down, his nervous expression quickly replaced with a soft smile.__

__He held the door of his room open and motioned for her to enter before him, she noticed how again he glanced nervously to see if anyone had seen them. Was it his conscience? Was he ashamed of her?_ _

__Keldorn followed behind her and closed the door softly. She heard the quiet click of the bolt slipping into place as he locked it. Suddenly she was nervous, more nervous that she had ever been before in a room with a man, alone. There had been a few lovers in her past, none of them long-term, she was forbidden such things in Candlekeep and a life of adventuring hadn’t lead to many lasting relationships. She could hear Keldorn’s breaths, quicker than usual, deeper._ _

__“Soli...you don’t have to do this…,” he said softly as he stepped closer to her._ _

__“I know,” she replied. She could feel his nearness, she kept her back to him and he bent down, a hesitant hand reaching out to touch her hair. Pure silk, just as he imagined it would be. His head came down beside hers, his stubble-covered cheek brushing against hers as he turned, a feather-light kiss ghosting across her skin. She closed her eyes involuntarily, a shiver ran down her spine._ _

__“Soli,” he said again, his lips tracing kisses across the sensitive edge of her ear, his breath catching as she let out a soft moan._ _

__“I want you, Keldorn,” she murmured and leaned her head back against his armor-covered chest. She could feel him shudder at her words._ _

__“No more hesitations, no more excuses,” she continued, her hand reaching to wrap his arm around her waist. “Just us, together.”_ _

__Suddenly the grip on her waist tightened and she found herself being turned to face him. His eyes were clouded with desire and they roved over her hungrily, as if he was seeing her for the first time. He bent down and his lips met hers in a feverish, desperate kiss. Whatever restraint he had managed to hold onto was gone, instead he was overcome with the desire to make her feel as much pleasure as he possibly could. He wanted to give her some small fraction of what she had given him, to repay her for everything that she had done for him. To bring her any amount of the joy she had shared so freely with him, however he could._ _

__He wanted to be closer to her, as close as two beings could become. To share their bodies with each other, their love, their affection._ _

__Keldorn pulled away from the kiss and pressed his forehead against hers. “Soliania, tell me, please, have you...before…”_ _

__“Have I been with a man before?” she asked, finishing his thought. He pulled his head back and looked into her eyes intently, his expression suddenly serious._ _

__“Aye, I do not mean to offend but I...do not wish to hurt you.”_ _

__“I am no virgin, Keldorn, although I appreciate your concern. It has been a while, but yes, I have been intimate with a man before.” She smirked at him, enjoying the blush that came to his cheeks again._ _

__“I did not mean to imply...or--or to offend your honor, it is not my business, of course--” he stammered._ _

__“They were not, however, as imposing as you,” she whispered and leaned up to press a kiss against his lips._ _

__“False flattery...is not...necessary,” he mumbled between kisses. His hands went to either side of her face, cupping them in his strong palms. “I will be gentle, Soli, as gentle as you need me to be.”_ _

__Her hands slid across his breastplate to the clasps. Slender fingers slipped under the leather straps and loosened them, she looked up at him with clear amber eyes as she tugged at the ties. “Whoever said I wanted you to be gentle?” she asked coyly._ _

__Whatever restraint he had managed to hold onto was gone, swept away by a crashing wave of lust, affection, and years of loneliness. He was a man alone in a room with a beautiful woman who wanted him, and he no longer had the strength to deny himself what he, too, had wanted for so long. He pushed her hands aside and reached for the straps of his armor, quickly undoing them and pulling them off in between hungry kisses. Soliana raised up on her toes to run her fingers through his silver-tinged hair, just as she had imagined. He smelled like soap, leather and sweat, she could feel him tremble as she planted damp kisses down his muscular neck._ _

__“Soli,” he groaned, grasping desperately at the armor restraining his aching need. The last pieces fell to the ground and he stepped forward, pulling her tight against him. Her small, firm breasts pressed against his chest, there was nothing between them but the thin fabric of their tunics. He bent down and slipped his arms around her hips, easily lifting her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands cupped her soft, full buttocks as she embraced him, he walked forward towards his bed with her as she ran her hands down his long, muscular arms. So many scars, marks she had never seen before, stories she had never heard him tell._ _

__He reached the edge of the bed and lowered her, slowly, onto the mattress. She moved herself backwards to allow him room to join her, the bed groaned as he shifted his weight onto it and came to his knees before her. She hadn’t realized just how large of a man he was, she could see hints of rippling muscle beneath his tunic, his bare thighs were long and lean. They remained there for a few long moments, silent, his eyes fixed on hers and their heavy breaths the only sound._ _

__Hesitantly he moved closer to her, his hands shaking as he undid the ties at her shoulder, his eyes never moving from hers. He kept checking for any sign of discomfort, regret even, as he slowly pulled the the last string and her tunic fell down, revealing a body more beautiful than he could have ever dreamed. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment at the scars littering her chest but if Keldorn noticed them, he gave no indication. Preserving her dignity, as always, instead he slipped a hand tentatively up her stomach, leaving goosebumps in the wake of his touch. He came closer to her as his hand continued up to her breast, a rough thumb brushed over it and drew a small gasp from her._ _

__He hadn’t been with many women other than Maria, and most of them he could not remember. The desire he felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, he was aching with it._ _

__“Keldorn,” she groaned as his other hand slipped down to her small clothes. Long, strong fingers pushed the thin cloth aside and slid across her. He let out his own groan when he found her damp, her stomach clenched at his touch._ _

__She reached forward and lifted his tunic up, tugging expectantly until he obliged her and allowed to her pull the cloth up over his head. For a man of more than 40 years, his physique was better than that of most younger men. Soliana ran her hands over his thickly-muscled chest, she assumed he would be strong since Carsomyr seemed to weigh more than she did, but she hadn’t ever seen him unclothed. Her eyes roved over him greedily, as did her hands, but he caught her wrists as she tried to slip them beneath his smallclothes._ _

__He shook his head gently and brought her hands up to his torso, laying them against the smooth muscles of his abdomen. “I am nearly overcome with desire at your touch alone, Soli…” he whispered, his hunger clear in his voice. He leaned forward, lowering himself over her as she leaned back against the pillows. “I want to please you first, if you will allow me to.” His steely blue eyes burned into hers, she trembled as he pressed forward and slid his heavy torso between her thighs._ _

__She nodded, silently, suddenly nervous again. He pressed a hot kiss against her lips, then his mouth moved down her chin, then her throat, and onto the soft, tender skin of her collarbone. Soliana arched her back as his hand slid down her side and over her firm curves. His other hand pulled her smallclothes down and she pulled her legs back to help slip them out. She was naked before him, and she could tell from how his breathing quickened that he wanted her, badly._ _

__Keldorn, her best friend, her confidante, the man who had guided her through the many trials of the past years. She had imagined this moment more times than she would like to admit, lying by herself beneath the stars, and now she was here, in his bed. He was before her, his desire evident, and she was bare, exposed._ _

__As if he could read her thoughts he pulled back, his hand reaching up to brush her silky hair from her face. “You are beautiful, Soliana.”_ _

__Keldorn was undeniably handsome, he had aged gracefully even though his face was scarred and lined with years of a hard life of duty beneath an unforgiving sun. Gently waved brown hair with a hint of silver, deep blue eyes that sparkled with a boyish charm, he was unaware of just how attractive he truly was._ _

__“Make love to me, Keldorn,” she said and laid back against the pillows. Keldorn’s eyes widened slightly, his gaze traced over the mounds of her breasts, the light tan torso that lead to a patch of soft, white curls. His desire ached in response, straining at the fabric of his smallclothes that could barely contain him._ _

__She spread her legs further as he climbed closer to her, he loosened the tie of his smallclothes and tossed them to the side. He felt even more self-conscious as he knelt before her, completely naked, but the sight of her reclined against the pillows, her eyes half-lidded with desire, was enough to make him not care anymore. He lowered himself over her, his hands slipped beneath her hips to help pull her closer to him._ _

__He pressed his lips against hers, his tongue slipped into her mouth and she responded with a hungry grind of her hips against him. “Are you comfortable?” he asked between kisses, and she nodded and wrapped her arms around him, her hands gripping the muscles of his back._ _

__He pressed at her entrance, and began to thrust gently, cautiously even, against her. Slowly he slipped himself into her, groaning in response to her sharp gasp._ _

__“Is...is it painful,” he stammered, struggling to keep himself from thrusting further._ _

__“A little,” she replied, wincing._ _

__“Oh gods, forgive me Soliania, I shouldn’t have--,” Keldorn replied, his expression suddenly a mixture of horror and embarrassment. He went to pull himself back out but she grabbed his hips, stopping him._ _

__“Just go slow, ok?” she said, smiling at him. “I didn’t say stop.”_ _

__“Are you sure?” he asked, his eyes shining with sincere concern. “I don’t want to hurt you, I would never dream of causing you pain, you don’t have to do this...I…”_ _

__She rocked her hips against him, pushing him a little bit deeper into her. His eyes shut involuntarily, he shuddered and let out a soft moan. Soliana moved again and pushed him in further, he remained still as she slowly worked him into her with slow, rhythmic movements._ _

__“My love,” he gasped as she pushed herself along his entire length, pleasure came over him in waves. He hadn’t been with a woman in so long, and he had wished for this moment in countless forbidden dreams. “Soli…”_ _

__“I love you, Keldorn,” Soliania whispered as he thrust into her in slow, purposeful movements. He trembled at her words and pulled back, his eyes staring deep into hers._ _

__“I love you more than anything, Soliania, I have been such a fool…”_ _

__“Shh,” she interrupted, pressing a finger against his lips._ _

__His gaze intensified and he began to drive himself into her over and over again, watching closely to see which movements elicited the most pleasure from her. He was so focused on her happiness that he forgot his own, he was lost in every sigh that escaped from her perfect lips._ _

__“Keldorn, don’t...stop...” she gasped as the pace quickened, he could feel her tightening around him and beads of sweat began to form on her temples. Fingernails dug into his back and her legs wrapped around him, urging him on as his thrusting became less controlled and more involuntary._ _

__“Soliania,” he whispered between clenched teeth, she was becoming impossibly tight and he began to shake as he struggled to maintain control. Rivulets of sweat formed on his skin, the pleasure was building and soon he would not be able to stop it._ _

__Soliania let out a loud moan and he could feel her muscles spasming around him, urging his own climax to follow just behind hers. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced before, his whole body felt afire with pure happiness._ _

__“Soliania,” he murmured as he traced kisses down her neck and up her ear. She shivered in response. They lay in each other arm’s as the final aftershocks of pleasure subsided, his fingers idly gliding over her smooth, bare skin._ _

__She rolled over and snuggled her back against him, enjoying the feeling of his warmth against her. He clasped his hand with her and felt the cool metal of her ring. The ring he had given her. The ring that meant a promise, one that he gave freely but that he was afraid to ask of her._ _

__“That was amazing,” she whispered, stifling a yawn._ _

__“You need not stroke this old soldier’s ego, my love,” he rumbled in reply, burying his nose in her hair. “But I fear I had not known true desire until this evening, and I thank you for it.”_ _

__“Well I could stroke something else…” She grinned to herself._ _

__Keldorn laughed, a deep, throaty chuckle._ _

__“As you wish, beloved.”_ _


End file.
